What+students+need+to+learn+in+order+comment+on+a+blog

toc ( back to Blogging Handbook index ) = =

=Making a quality comment= On the site // [|Langwitches Blog] // student guest writer, Zoe, shares her views on what makes a good comment: How to Make A Quality Comment by Zoe

=What students need to learn to comment on a blog= The students at **Huzzah! & Division 3 ** ( @http://huzzah.edublogs.org/commenting-guidelines/) believe the purpose of commenting is to **connect. ** "//Blogging is about reading, thinking, and responding. Getting a comment can be like receiving a little bouquet in your mailbox: a treat for the senses.// //We comment a lot: on YouTube videos, on blogs, and face to face–pretty much, we comment all the time. We comment to learn, sometimes from people on the other side of the world. We comment to express our opinions about what has been written. We comment to connect, and to connect we tell stories, use humour, and share our thinking. Remember, you are trying to engage the blogger in a ////**conversation **//**//! //**//A good comment can be the beginning of a good blogging relationship //." Their advice on quality commenting is grouped under the following headings:
 * Think about your //digital privacy //
 * Think about the //<span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 1.1em;">tone //<span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 1.1em;"> of your comment
 * <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 1.1em;">Think about the //<span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 1.1em;">content //<span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 1.1em;"> of your comment
 * <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 1.1em;">Think about //<span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 1.1em;">conventions //<span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 1.1em;"> of your comment

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The students brainstormed, discussed, and determined that the following points are important to keep in mind when commenting on blogs. <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif;">
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Make your comment //worth reading.//
 * <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Start a conversation.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Be positive, interested, and encouraging.
 * <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif;">I <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif;">f you disagree, be polite about it.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Connect with the post: be on topic.
 * <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Re-read your comment before you hit submit–think before you send!
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Aim for correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
 * <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Don't use chat or texting language like lol, i, or u.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">No "Hi! Visit my blog! Bye!" comments. Be thoughtful.
 * <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif;">I <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif;">nclude your blog url so people can comment back, and use our gmail address, not student webmail. <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif;">Keep your privacy: no __personal__ or __identifying__ information about you, your family, or your friends. Don't give out last names, school name, phone numbers, user names, or places and dates you can be found

<span style="color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">

= Comments4Kids =

Attract readers from around the world
The site is a way for students and teachers to find blogs to comment on and to get their own posts commented on.One way to attract readers (from around the world) to your class blog or individual student blogs is to register at Comments4Kids. Comments4Kids home page: [] To sign up: []

=Josh's comments sample= The power of students being able to comment on each other's blogs (and to respond to these comments) can be seen by the following samples from Josh's 2011 year 6 blog. While a student like Edna may have been able to articulate her comments in the classroom when she posts it to a blog it not only gets to a wider audience (inviting more people to join in the discussion) it also allows Josh time to contemplate his response. Finally a student like Jack is able to to work through his comment and edit and fine turn it, something he would be reluctant with if put on the spot in a class discussion.

edna Submitted on [|2011/10/31 at 8:44 am] // hey Josh, // // I really like your first write. Imagine what your last write will be like!! Your word choice was very creative and they rhymed really well like the way you said about the global warming bit, it sounded like you were demanding it very strongly and your opinion sounds unstoppable. I think that you brought up some good points and will be a strong topic to learn about this term. Your ideas were put out very clearly and, as I said, your opinion was very powerful. The sentences in your poem were very fluent and you could understand what you were talking about. // // The first two lines of your poems really set the scene because you would straight away know what you're trying to say. The only thing I would fix is that some of your uses of words were a little repetitive like the ‘come on' saying. But other than that, you had good sense of voice in your poem and some good word choices but you were sometimes repetitive with some words. Good job!!! //

Chey Submitted on [|2011/10/28 at 3:58 am] // Josh, // // You painted a wonderful picture of your family pets! // // I was able to relate to the smell mice can get if they aren't clean. // // This year my partner and I got a puppy and I can understand you being a little scared if you were only six! Puppies really don't understand how strong they are! // // I liked the way you set out each of your memories into a new paragraph, it made a nice clear picture and it was easy to follow. // // I also liked the way your voice came through very strongly as you spoke about the way Bailey is part of your family, right down to the Christmas cards. A photo of your dog would be a great addition to your writing. // // Make sure you re-read before you publish, you have a few typos, but on the whole well done!! // // Chey //

jack Submitted on [|2011/10/28 at 3:48 am] // I liked your writing and how you set it out because you talked about the first pet and then the dog. // // I liked the part in your story when you were scared of the dog, I really liked it because I felt the same way when my neighbours got a new dog. // // I understood the way it flowed it wasn't confusing. // // And you might need to check your spacing in the third paragraph and punctuation in the first paragraph. //

shannon Submitted on [|2011/10/27 at 2:14 am] // I really like your structure of your story and your sentence really flows well. // // your ideas and content were clear and I liked them a lot. //

josh Submitted on [|2011/10/25 at 1:25 am] | In reply to [|declanr2011]. // I can understand why you want to know more about the ozone layer but I don't know that much about it either so we'll both learn something this term hopefully. //

declanr Submitted on [|2011/10/25 at 1:09 am] // Josh I think your opening thing about pollution really helps set the scene and that you have a conclusion helps to explain about your opinion on the earth. // // I like the way you said it was not a lie because it made it seem like you were demanding that it could kill us but with the ozone layer is about to brake you could have said what would happen and how would it affect us because I don't know that much about it. // // You spelt plead wrong but I do like your finishing statement. //

gemma Submitted on [|2011/10/24 at 5:43 am] // Hey Josh, it was a great story on your pet you should check over for grammar, and punctuation it I liked when you got scared of bailey that me laugh this is a great story about you when you were young:) //